The State Electricity Commission’s (SEC) Melbourne Renewable Energy Hub (MREH) is one step closer to completion, with the third and final transformer for the project’s 600MW battery landing on site.
It follows the arrival of the first two transformers in January 2025, with the mega BESS (battery energy storage system) on track to be operational in late 2025.
Transformers play a vital role for any renewable energy generation or storage project.
They allow energy to be sent to and from the transmission network at the appropriate voltage, enabling BESS operations, maximising grid performance and reducing transmission losses over long distances.
In the case of MREH, this will support reliable transmission of energy to Victorian households.
Once all three transformers are connected, they will enable MREH to deliver up to 1.6GWh of energy storage into the grid – enough to power 200,000 homes during peak periods.
The project is made up of three battery components:
- A1 and A2, each comprised of 110 battery units (200MW/400MWh), which can power approximately 66,000 homes for two hours each
- A3, comprised of 224 battery units (200MW/800MWh), which can power approximately 66,000 homes for four hours
The project – co-owned by the SEC and Equis Australia – will become one of the largest batteries in the country once it’s complete, with up to 1200MW of charge/discharge capacity.
It also has the capacity to expand even further, with approval for up to 2.4GWh of energy storage.
Designed with innovative inverter technology to support the transmission grid’s voltage and frequency, the Melbourne Renewable Energy Hub will strengthen the electricity network by replacing system inertia that is lost as ageing coal-fired power stations retire.
